Archbishop Michael Miller with Pope Francis. (image accompanying announcement of Memorial Mass April 24)
Archbishop Michael Miller will celebrate a Memorial Mass for Pope Francis at Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver today (April 24) at 5 pm. The service will also be livestreamed.
Pope Francis died early on Easter Monday, April 21, age 88, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.
Miller, who will retire next month, following 16 years as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, posted a statement “in loving memory of Pope Francis” the same day.
He said:
Pope Francis was a tireless shepherd of the Church, a beacon of hope and a champion of the Gospel. His deep love for the poor, unwavering commitment to peace and bold witness to Christ’s message of love and reconciliation have inspired millions of people everywhere.
Leading with humility, he called us to a renewed closeness to Jesus and a missionary spirit that reaches to the peripheries. His vision of synodality – a Church that listens, discerns and walks together – profoundly shapes our local Church today.
The most significant legacy left to the Archdiocese of Vancouver by Pope Francis is undoubtedly his heart for evangelization. Inspired by his declaration of an Extraordinary Missionary Month in October 2019, we launched Proclaim, a movement that awakens disciples to proclaim Jesus. The Pope’s challenge to embrace missionary discipleship continues to guide our evangelization efforts today.
Pope Francis’ funeral will be held on Saturday (April 26).
Pope Francis in Canada
The Memorial Mass will be one of Miller’s last major public acts as leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Vancouver.
A February 25 release announced that Pope Francis had appointed Archbishop Richard Smith as the next Archbishop of Vancouver and accepted Archbishop Michael Miller’s resignation. Smith, 65, has been Archbishop of Edmonton since 2007.
During a live press conference April 21, Archbishop Smith spoke about Pope Francis’ visit to Canada during the summer of 2022:
Pope Francis left a legacy that really did impact the world in many ways. i would want to add that there was an immediate impact here of course, in Alberta. We remember that just a few years ago – only three years ago now –Pope Francis came here for what he called his penitential pilgrimage.
He had met the Indigenous peoples – a delegation of them – just a few months prior to that, and that really impacted his heart deeply. He made the promise at that time to come to Canada, to be with them on their land. In a year when he was cancelling all other trips, all other international trips, because of his poor health, because of his mobility issues and so on, he nevertheless was determined and chose still to come to Canada to be with the Indigenous peoples.
That was – certainly for us and for the world that watched it – one more example, a very strong example, of the concern that Pope Francis manifested really from the outset of his papacy for anyone who feels marginalized or hurt, in need of healing. He was a strong, strong voice for the poor.
Go here for the full YouTube interview.
Local connections
Frances Carlick heard Pope Francis apologize in person. She believes strongly in the healing power of forgiveness.
Three local people, from quite different backgrounds, all had very positive experiences involving Pope Francis.
- Frances Ceen-ne Carlick
Frances Ceen-ne Carlick, who attends Vancouver East Vineyard Church, was a member of the delegation of First Nations, Inuit and Métis residential school survivors – mentioned by Archbishop Smith – who met with the pope earlier in 2022.
She said, following the visit:
He mentioned some really beautiful things about our traditional wisdom. The tree of life, that really touched me – that the tree is rich in fruit, even though we’ve experienced tragedy, which many of us have.
He talked about colonization, and he also shared that he felt shame and sorrow for what the role of the Catholic church had done to so many of us in Canada. He shared that these were all things contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ. That really, really hit me.
He said, I ask for God’s forgiveness and I want to say to you with all my heart I am very sorry. I was rejoicing in my spirit – that it finally happened, and I got to witness it. I just couldn’t thank our church enough. It was just so profound.
I was there for my mom. I was there for my late husband. I was there for my uncle and my aunt and all the people.
Carlick added, “God is not done with this story yet,” saying that her visit to Rome has awoken a desire to let people know more about the experiences of her family and so many others she has known.
- Dr. Gerry Turcotte
Dr. Gerry Turcotte, President and Vice-Chancellor at St. Mark’s and Corpus Christi College on the UBC campus. He wrote about his recollections of the pontiff for The B.C. Catholic April 23:
I had the wonderful opportunity of being president of a Catholic university throughout his papacy, and that allowed me to have a particular view of the Pope’s impact on young people.
Without a doubt, Francis had a way of connecting with younger folk, of making them feel valued in their faith, and of assuring them that the Church wanted to hear their voice.
I had the honour of meeting him in person on two occasions, and it was so clear to see how he connected authentically with everyone he spoke to. It was truly special to see.
As a Jesuit-affiliated institution, Corpus Christi College and St. Mark’s College embrace the call from Pope Francis, the first Jesuit Pope, to lead by example.
Go here for the full comment.
- Geoff Tunnicliffe
Geoff Tunnicliffe meeting with Pope Francis in 2014.
Metro Vancouver resident Geoff Tunniciffe met with Pope Francis several times. I re-posted and interview he had with Faith Today shortly before he stepped down as Secretary General of the 600 million strong World Evangelical Alliance at the end of 2014.
Here is a portion:
FT: How have you seen the relationships between different types of Christians change?
GT: . . . Our relationship with the Vatican has dramatically changed. The depth of conversations now is far different than they were 10 years ago. . . .
FT: You met with Pope Francis earlier this year. How did that come about?
GT: The meeting with Pope Francis came at his request. There will be no official statement. We had a three-hour conversation with no agenda. The intent of the meeting was really about getting to know each other and building a friendship.
FT: How would you describe the state of the friendship then, at this point? And why is it so important to build this friendship?
GT: I am deeply humbled that I have begun a friendship journey with Pope Francis. In the coming months and years our hope is connect regularly to deepen our relationship. We committed to regular pray for one another.
Go here for the full article, including the interview.
Commentary
The response to Pope Francis’ death has been an outpouring of positive commentary. Many world leaders will attend his funeral in person this weekend.
The B.C. Catholic pointed to one example of common praise, which united three federal political leaders just days before the conclusion of a hotly contested election.
The article (‘Campaign trail turns solemn as Canadian political leaders reflect on Pope Francis’ passing’) quoted the four key national leaders.
Poilievre released a statement the day after attending Easter Sunday Mass at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Surrey:
His humility, compassion, and steadfast faith had a profound impact on millions of Canadians and others around the world from every faith background.
We remember especially his historic ‘penitential pilgrimage’ to Canada, when he sought to begin a process of Reconciliation by the Church with his apology ‘for the evil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous Peoples.’
Carney, himself a Catholic, has met the pope:
Liberal Leader Mark Carney issued a lengthy statement from Ottawa Monday, calling Pope Francis “a shepherd of deep moral clarity, spiritual courage and boundless compassion.” . . .
Carney recalled his personal engagement with the Pope through the Council for Inclusive Capitalism and praised the Pontiff’s teachings on economic justice and reconciliation.
Go here for the full article.
Thomas Schirrmacher discussing the new World Evangelical Alliance brochure with Pope Francis. © WEA
Although most of the response to Pope Francis’ death has been positive, some conservative Catholics have been, at best, reserved.
First Things, for example, has posted several assessments of his life from various points of view. The editor, R.R. Reno wrote:
Pope Francis was a Perónist and a Jesuit. His pontificate amounted to twelve years of maneuvering, sometimes artfully, sometimes not so artfully.
Everything was made into an instrument, including doctrine, synodal meetings, church offices and more. In this regard, the pontificate was purely personal, resting in the mystery of the one thing that God was calling Jorge Bergoglio to do as a soldier of Christ.
As a result, the pontificate’s distinctive character dies with him, leaving very little other than our astonishment.
I pray for the repose of Pope Francis’s soul. May he rest in the arms of Christ, whom he sought so ardently to serve.
Charles J. Chaput, Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia, wrote (also in First Things): “In many ways, whatever its strengths, the Francis pontificate was inadequate to the real issues facing the Church.”
Less surprisingly, evangelical commentary has also been mixed. Franco Iacomini wrote a decidedly positive piece for the flagship magazine Christianity Today: ‘Died: Pope Francis, Friend to Evangelicals,’ while Daniel K. Williams posted on Anxious Bench: ‘Why Evangelicals Mourned John Paul II – but not Francis.’
One valuable comment is that of Thomas Schirrmacher, who recently stepped down as Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance. He met with Pope Francis several times over the years, including accompanying him on three state visits and visiting him privately in Santa Maria, often for his birthday. He offers some personal insights and lists several of what he sees as the most positive and problematic aspects of Francis’ work.
Conclave
Following the funeral will come the Conclave of Cathedrals (those under 80), who will travel to Rome to determine who will succeed Pope Francis.
It appears that prognosticators about the next pope have a poor track record – but of course that doesn’t prevent media outlets from taking a shot. Several names are being bandied about, and one of them was mentioned with approbation on CBC Radio’s The Early Edition April 23.
Frances Macapagal Maddalozzo, a Filipina Canadian and a practicing Catholic, joined host Stephen Quin “Reflect on the progressive legacy of Pope Francis – to talk about Pope Francis’s impact and what she hopes for the future of the church.”
Asked by Quinn whether she would like to see Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle (often dubbed ‘the Asian Francis’) become pope, Maddalozzo said:
That would be wonderful, but regardless of if he’s Filipino or not, I can assure you that all Filipino Catholics are praying for the next future pope at this very moment, and I join with all Catholics to pray for the next future pope as they face very difficult challenges, like the tragedies of war, inequalities and all those things that Pope Francis stood for, listening to the marginalized.
Go here for the full interview and here for Quinn’s interview with Archbishop Miller the day before.
A prayer
Archbishop Michael Miller concluded his announcement of the Memorial Mass for Pope Francis with the following prayer:
O God, immortal shepherd of souls,
look on your people’s prayers
and grant that your servant Pope Francis,
who presided over your Church in charity,
may, with the flock entrusted to his care,
receive from your mercy
the reward of a faithful steward.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
Requiescat in pace